From AAIA Capital Report
 
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Senate is slated to consider the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act this Thursday, April 5. The bill would require that car companies make available for purchase the same service information and tools that they provide their franchised dealers.
 
Unlike other versions of Right to Repair, the legislation that will be considered on Thursday will require that, beginning in 2015, car companies maintain electronic sites that contain the same diagnostic and repair information available to dealers. These sites would be available to the aftermarket on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly subscription. Further, the legislation would mandate that independents be able to access the vehicle’s on-board computers for diagnostic and repair purposes through a standardized vehicle interface that meets Society for Automotive Engineers (SAE) J2534. The J2534 standard was developed by the manufacturers to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements that all vehicle programming regarding emissions-related systems be done through a standardized interface. Many manufacturers, such as Toyota, are now using that same interface to perform vehicle diagnostics and repairs, as well.
 
The consideration by the Senate is the next step in the progression of the Massachusetts Right to Repair ballot measure, which was approved by the commonwealth’s Attorney General in September. The measure was subsequently certified by the Secretary of State after the coalition submitted more than 100,000 signatures in support of Right to Repair from Massachusetts registered voters. Under the commonwealth’s constitution, the state legislature now has until May 2 to take action to enact right to repair or the measure will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.
 
Additional information on the Massachusetts Right to Repair effort can be found at www.massrighttorepair.com.